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Communism and socialism oppose capitalism but are different ideologies, despite the terms sometimes being used interchangeably.

Communism: Replacing private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and control of means of production and natural resources. Wealth divided equally, or according to need. One-party government oversees economy.

Socialism: Public, rather than private, control of property and natural resources, but allowing private property ownership. Socialism can seek to restrain capitalism through democracy or authoritarian control. 

On Oct. 2, Wisconsin state Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, called Milwaukee state Rep. Ryan Clancy a communist. Clancy, like New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, identifies as a democratic socialist. 

Clancy’s positions include a right to legal counsel for people facing eviction, shifting funds from law enforcement to community services and eliminating property tax funding of schools.

Mamdani advocates for freezing rent, government-owned grocery stores and free child care.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

• Britannica: Socialism
• Britannica: Communism
• History.com: How Are Socialism and Communism Different?
• National Geographic: Socalism
• Investopedia: Communism vs. Socialism: What’s the Difference?
• Milwaukee Magazine: Meet Ryan Clancy: The Socialist Next Door
• Zohran for New York City: The Platform

Are communism and socialism the same? is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

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The Communist Control Act of 1954 bans the Communist Party.

The federal law declares the party “an instrumentality of a conspiracy to overthrow” the U.S. government.

It remains part of the U.S. Code.

The law has rarely been enforced, and Congress has repealed most of its provisions. 

Conservative Wisconsin radio talk show host Joe Giganti, discussing the Sept. 10 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, urged listeners to tell Congress the law is “a tool that needs to be utilized.”

In June, Republicans urged President Donald Trump to use the law to revoke the citizenship of New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist.

Harvard law professor Mark Tushnet said the law could be enforced, in theory, against the Communist Party or members of any organization determined by a jury to have engaged in certain actions to overthrow the government.

The party remains active.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

• Congress.gov: S.3706 – Communist Control Act of 1954
• Congress.gov: Communist Control Act of 1954 text
• The Independent: Republicans are calling on Trump to revoke Mamdani’s citizenship and deport him
• U.S. Code: 50 USC Chapter 23, Subchapter IV: Communist Control
• Middle Tennessee State University Free Speech Center: Communist Control Act of 1954
• NBC News: What we know about Charlie Kirk's assassination
• Omny.fm: Regular Joe Show – 9/11/25 second excerpt
• Email, Sept. 15, 2025: Mark Tushnet, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law, Emeritus, Harvard Law School
• Communist Party USA: CPUSA members add street heat on Wall Street
• People's World: Recent news stories mentioning Communist Party USA

Is there a US law that bans the Communist Party? is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.